The five points of Calvinism are generally known by the acronym TULIP, which stands for T – Total Depravity, U – Unconditional Election, L – Limited Atonement, I – Irresistible Grace, and P – Perseverance of the Saints. Total depravity means that as a consequence of the fall of man and original sin, every person … Continue reading Total Depravity Part 1
Month: August 2020
John Calvin and Free Will
I do not profess to be an expert on Calvinist theology nor have I read all that Calvin ever wrote. But even a small dive into his beliefs will quickly run into the topic of free will. Calvin did not profess that we had no free will regarding anything. He didn’t believe that God directed … Continue reading John Calvin and Free Will
The Five Points of Calvinism
Over the next many posts I will be writing about the theology of John Calvin and how as Catholics we would view and differ from his beliefs. There will be many “sub-topics” that relate to this discussion – topics like original sin and our human condition, our role in judging others (or not!), whether God … Continue reading The Five Points of Calvinism
The Resurrection Part 2
In my last post I quoted the Episcopal bishop who said that “we don’t know what happened to Jesus after his death,” referring to an understanding that the physical resurrection of Christ is not necessary for the Christian faith. That is a befuddling statement for any Christian to make. Scripture tells us exactly what happened … Continue reading The Resurrection Part 2
The Resurrection Part 1
In 1 Corinthians 15:12-14 St. Paul writes “Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in … Continue reading The Resurrection Part 1
The Hypostatic Union Part 2
The two natures of Christ, human and divine, can be found in Sacred Scripture. The evidence in Sacred Scripture that Christ is indeed God was provided here (post 1, post 2). We’ll now look at the evidence found in Scripture that Jesus was truly man. For there we see that Christ got hungry, could be … Continue reading The Hypostatic Union Part 2
The Hypostatic Union Part 1
While perhaps not as recognized as the theological terms of the Trinity and Incarnation, the dogma of the Hypostatic Union is equally as important to understand who is the person of Jesus Christ. This dogma professes the revealed truth that in Christ, one person subsists in two natures, the Divine and the human. The Catechism … Continue reading The Hypostatic Union Part 1
Jesus as the Son of Mary – the Incarnation
The first reason given by the Catechism that God becomes man is in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who “loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.” (CCC457). Jesus is able to save us because he becomes one of us, representing humanity to the Father and … Continue reading Jesus as the Son of Mary – the Incarnation
The Incarnation – An Overview
The word “Incarnation,” like the word “Trinity” is another term that doesn’t appear in Scripture but is widespread in Christian use. “Incarnate” mean to invest with bodily and especially human form and nature. “Made manifest or comprehensible.” This is another example of a “normal” word that becomes Christianized with a unique Christian meaning. When Christ … Continue reading The Incarnation – An Overview
The Holy Spirit is a Person – The Trinity in Scripture
Equally important to the understanding of the Trinity is the belief that the Holy Spirit is God. The third person of the Trinity is fully and equally God. The Jehovah Witnesses will argue that the Holy Spirit is not a person, but rather God’s power in action, a “force.” For example, in Luke 1:35 the … Continue reading The Holy Spirit is a Person – The Trinity in Scripture
Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 2
There is a great deal of evidence in Scripture that tells us that Jesus is God. Perhaps no passage is clearer than this one: John 1:1-3,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through … Continue reading Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 2
Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 1
Central to the dogma of the Trinity is who Jesus Christ is. Those who believe in the Trinity believe that Jesus Christ is God, the second person of the Trinity who assumed a human nature and walked among us. Those who do not accept the Trinity as truth will often point to passages in Scripture … Continue reading Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 1
Between the Farm and the Cross 